South Dakota State football finalizes 2018 schedule

South Dakota State’s Marshon Harris (18) reacts after the Jackrabbits recovered a fumble during the first quarter of their game against Northern Iowa. Jason Salzman/For The Argus Leader

Jason Salzman for the Argus Leader

Argus Leader

1:23 pm CST January 3, 2018

The South Dakota State football team announced its 2018 schedule on Wednesday, after adding Arkansas-Pine Bluff to fill their last opening.

The Jackrabbits -- who won a school-record 11 games this season and advanced to the FCS semifinals -- will host the Golden Lions in Week 3, on Sept. 15, their last game before the bye that precedes the beginning of Missouri Valley Football Conference play.

The Golden Lions are a member of the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC), a league made up of HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities). This will be SDSU's first time hosting a SWAC opponent.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff went 2-8 last season, and recently named Cedric Thomas as its new head coach.

SDSU opens the season Sept. 1 against Iowa State, a Big 12 team coming off an 8-win season and a Liberty Bowl victory. The Cyclones were the first FBS team SDSU played after their move to Division I, in 2008. ISU won that game 44-17.

SDSU's didn't play an FBS opponent this year. Last year they traveled to TCU and lost 59-41. The year before that SDSU picked up its first FBS win, beating Kansas 41-38.